One of my downlines recently sent me a list of ideas that could be used to make masculine cards. I suppose it’s one of those themes that lots of cardmakers struggle with since we tend to make so many cards for other ladies or for children. I’ve reproduced this list here and edited and added my own ideas too. I hope that it’s helpful to someone out there. Please feel free to add to this list by leaving a comment.
IDEAS for MASCULINE CARDS
Images of clocks, clock faces or actual mini clock parts (try garage sales for old watches you can pull apart)
Images of cars, trucks or motorbikes, trains, aeroplanes, boats & ships – the older the better – or anything to do with these ie ships wheel (also try Set Sail stamp set by Stampin’ Up!)
Images of musical instruments, sheet music and musical notes
Images of architecture, famous building ie Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa
Images of travel, copies of passports, travel documents etc
Images of favourite sports and colours of favourite teams in the shape of ie a football
Copies of old maps, old newspapers, old magazines of favourite images (you can Google maps, print them then age them by sponging with brown ink or dipping in weak tea or coffee – alternatively you can buy cheap books from your local charity shop).
Images of lighthouses, the sea, fishing, or underwater images
Images of wine or beer – consider soaking the labels off bottles of beer,wine or spirits (I’ve used labels from beer and they work great! Try James Boag)
Images on serviettes – wine, grapes, vineyards (remember to use only the top layer of the serviette and adhere with Jac Paper or paint over the top with Mod Podge or gel medium)
Images of animals – lions, leopards, tigers, horses etc
Collect old postage stamps with masculine images
Collect old house keys – the older the better – paint them and add to cards (or try Artifacts stamp set by Stampin’ Up!)
Cheap packs of playing cards – add cards to the front of a card – ie royal flush
Search for flat screws, nails or washers that you can paint or distress
Textured cardstock, Rough surfaces like sandpaper, plaid or argyle patterns (try Flannel Plaid background stamp by Stampin’ Up! or Sentimental Journey scrapbooking papers also by Stampin’ Up!)
Copy old sepia postcards or old sepia photos and alter them
Copies of famous old paintings ie Da Vinci
Images of old shoes or boots
Images of trees, leaves, gardening tools, fruit & vegetables from botanical books – make copies at the local library (try Lovely As A Tree stamp set by Stampin’ Up!)
Old coins or images of old coins
Make your own masculine backgrounds by scrunching up some cardstock into a tight ball a few times and then smoothing open, ink over the wrinkles with a pale brown inkpad and sponge with a creamy coloured inkpad. I like Creamy Caramel and More Mustard with So Saffron by Stampin’ Up!
Weathered Background stamp by Stampin’ Up! is great for masculine backgrounds but works equally as well for feminine shabby chic. Just change the colour scheme to suit.
Distress edges of cardstock by running your fingernail around the edges. Leave as is or further distress by dragging your inkpad over the edges too.
Use an emery board for sanding over cardstock to give a distressed look.
Try Twill Tape (Stampin’ Up!) for a clean masculine look.
